Rouge Veins
by Skeptikk
Summary: Generations have passed since the time of Firestar, and now new felines fill the four clans. When a group of strangers with mysterious intentions try to inhabit the clan territories, old hostilities and ancient legends arise, provoking a war of beliefs.
1. Prologue

This is GENERATIONS after the book series takes place.

Kay?

GENERATIONS. Aka, a really long time later. None of the

Original characters will play role.

Anyway, I've had an idea of writing this for a while,

So here goes. ^^ Enjoy or despice! Up to you =3

**Prologue**

If there was anything the tom didn't appreciate, it was rain. It made your joints stiff, and filled the air with the most revolting metallic stench. Sure, it made lakes and ponds and rivers flow, but why did it have to be so….

**"Noisy?"**

The tom spun around in surprise, relaxing only when he recognized the tabby figure. He was already used to his brother's strange gift, but even he couldn't help but feel unnerved when the tom read his every thought. It perturbed him; not having privacy, that is.

**"More like, aggravating. There's so much of it, and you never know when it'll stop. It eats away at the earth, and ruins bedding. Rain has a lot of cons compared to its benefits."**

Grumbling without appreciation, the tom scooted sideways to make room for his littermate. From the shadows of the rock den, the two looked nothing alike. While one's pelt blazed like white fire dashed with charcoal ears, the other stood in a cloak of stripes both sandy and brown. And in a way, assumptions would be correct. They weren't related; not fully. Their father was the same, but in any other ways, they were not kin. The thundering sky up above called down to them, scaring the last of the birds from their nests.

**"Aww, there goes dinner."**

The tabby sighed, pale orbs flickering unhappily. A chuckle sounded beside him as the white tom rose, flicking rain water from his paws.

**"Not like we were going hunting in this weather anyway. Hopefully it dries up in the morning. Flare said he'd be waiting for us by that twoleg barn."**

Turning around to creep back into the shelter of the den, the white tom hissed as a roach skittered over his paws and into the safety of a crack in the wall. His brother stood behind him and trotted over to join the tom.

**"I wonder what he meant when he said we should sharpen our claws."**

The white tom scoffed and flicked his brother's face none-too-gently with his tail.

**"He said there would be other cats there, remember? Might as well expect the worst."**

With that said, he carefully picked his way over to a nest of moss and feathers in one corner of the den. Sniffing it and checking for thorns, he nodded his head briskly in satisfaction before plopping down in a heap of frosty fur. Sighing pleasurably, he closed his eyes without even attempting to conceal his comfort. His brother on the other hand, seemed rather puzzled before simply nodding and curling up in his own nest a little way's down.

**"Right… Hope for the best, expect the worst…. Hey Castor?"**

The tabby sat up in his nest, waiting for his brother to acknowledge him. He was greeted by a half-hearted grunt.

**"What do we do if the cats there won't give us territory?"**

**"Then we'll fight them and drive them out."**

**"And then what?"**

Sighing in exasperation, the white tom lifted his head, glaring at his brother through liquid turquoise eyes.

**"Then we win and get to roam the territories freely with Flare and whoever else he brings along. Would you just sleep already? You're giving me a headache."**

However, the tabby wasn't finished yet. Ever persistent, he batted a bundle of moss at his brother's head to keep him awake. A hiss of annoyance filled the den, but Castor was listening now.

**"And what happens to the cats who were there first?"**

Half-closing his eyes, Castor stared silently at his brother, teal eyes expectant. The air within the den was still and unmoving, and when the tabby's eyes widened in shock, the white tom nodded to confirm what he'd heard. Resting his head down, it wasn't long before Castor had dozed off. However, the tabby remained as he was, smoky amber orbs wide in disbelief. He had read his brother's mind before, but never for such purposes. Unsettled, he glanced at his kin once more before resting his head on his paws. He had never unsheathed his claws for any reason other than to hunt, but now, Castor's thoughts were so real that it rather terrified the tabby. Forcing his eyes shut, he managed to calm down his own beating heart.

_But that would be wrong. Even Castor should know that. He might have had a rough kithood, but every cat should know that! Their parents or some other cat teaches them somewhere along the road! How can he expect me to do that? _

He knew his brother expected a lot of him because of his strange power, but this was too much. He had followed the white tom through burning forests and insanely busy twoleg places. He'd climbed trees to escape from dogs, even used his ability to read the mind of a badger; all for his brother's sake. But how could the tom want him to drive away innocent cats from their homes? How could Castor ask him to hurt without reason? Worst of all, how could he himself even consider being a murderer?


	2. Relations

**Chapter 1- Stupidity**

It was a busy morning like usual. Warriors were filing in and out of camp to switch off on patrols or training, and some simply paced pointlessly in order to look busy. After all, everyone knew how bossy Ravenwing could get. The sharp deputy was currently scolding Nightpaw for leaving burrs in Gorsefur's bedding, and while the tom was trying to assure her that it was alright, the black and white she-cat wouldn't accept it. All the while Nightpaw seemed to be shrinking smaller and smaller into his own fur. In the distance, Rainclaw and Songfrost were just heading out of camp with a distracted Dewpaw bundling after. The she-cat had only just been made an apprentice, so not much was expected of her.

However, it didn't quite work vice versa. The white apprentice had begged Songfrost only about a hundred times to teach her everything a Thunderclan warrior needed to know, and the cat's mentor was close to losing her mind with impatience. It was thanks to her calmer brother Rainclaw that she didn't explode on her apprentice.

**"Ashwind! Do me a favor and control your apprentice! He's trying to assassinate Gorsefur!"**

As Ravenwing's voice rose through the stony hollow, Ashwind's head poked out of the warrior's den. Puzzled, she shook herself free of the decaying branches that made up her sleeping quarters and stretched, shaking her gray fur as she did so.

**"Oh, I doubt it's as bad as you say. What did he do this time?"**

Trotting over to where the three sat, she noted uneasily the embarrassed expression on her apprentice's face and wondered if perhaps there was some truth to Ravenwing's words. But surely the deputy was overreacting. Why would Nightpaw do anything to harm his favorite elder? Glancing down swiftly at Gorsefur's twisted paw, she held back the urge to make her sympathy known. The accident with the fox trap had been moons ago, but the tom had never seemed to get over being moved from the warrior's den.

_And neither did Claystar. He lost his fastest warrior._

Managing a smile that wasn't quite as nervous as she felt, the she-cat shot a glare at Nightpaw before putting on a pretty face for her overseer. The look was not returned.

**"This insolent little fiend of a cat stuck brambles into Gorsefur's bedding."**

**"It was an accident! I thought I got rid of them, honestly!"**

Sighing in exasperation, Ashwind nudged the black tom to the side as she faced the deputy.

**"You heard him Ravenwing; it was an accident. He probably just wasn't being careful enough. I'm very sorry about this Gorsefur. I'll make sure he fetches you fresh new bedding, and we'll add in some pidgeon feathers too. "**

Dipping her head apologetically to the elder, she hurriedly rushed Nightpaw off to the side before Ravenwing could protest anymore. As soon as she was sure they were out of hearing range, the she-cat's fur fluffed up to the likes of a porcupine.

**"Didn't I tell you to stop being lazy? If you want to be a warrior, you'll have to do better than trying to impale an elder. I doubt it'll impress Claystar at all. You should take after your brother's example. He helps out Jadewhisker unquestionably! Why can't you be the same?"**

Feeling a flash of guilt as the tom's ears folded backwards, Ashwind sighed and flicked the tom's nose with her tailtip.

**"How about we go grab some new moss for Gorsefur?"**

At that, Nightpaw rolled his eyes.

**"Hollowpelt will just end up hogging it. He takes up enough space for three warriors."**

Cuffing the tom, Ashwind stifled a purr of amusement as she trotted towards the camp entrance, tail held high as she passed by Leaftail, the one cat she loathed more than any other. It was hard to be nice to the she-cat who'd broken her brother's heart. Hardening her eyes coldly, she made it clear that she wasn't going to interact with the she-cat, and the two brushed by on a mutual agreement not to converse. Luckily, her apprentice didn't seem to notice. He was too busy calling out to Sagepaw, who was just coming into camp. The small black tom was stumbling over a large mouthful of herbs, and he looked up curiously as he heard his name.

**"Hey Sagepaw, did you go look for that old **_**thing **_**I told you about?"**

Smiling sweetly, the medicine cat apprentice nodded.

**"Awesome! It was really cool, right?"**

**"I guess. It wasn't as big as you said though. Three twoleg monsters was a bit of an overestimate."**

Ignoring his younger brother's cynical tone, Nightpaw grinned cheekily, white tail-tip flicking freely through the air.

**"Yeah, well, you can take Dewpaw there later too. Just make sure no one else knows, alright?"**

At this, Ashwind's ears flicked up curiously. A secret? Well, she'd admit that she'd had her fair share of escapades with her brother and sister when they were apprentices, but that didn't mean it wasn't wrong for her to have run off and gotten herself in danger. Blue eyes trying to conceal her interest as she leaned back a little to catch onto their words, she frowned and cursed silently. Jadewhisker was already calling Sagepaw over for taking too long. So much for master of eavesdropping.

**"See you Sagepaw! I'm going to go fight a giant badger with Ashwind now!"**

Glancing sharply down at her apprentice, she waited for some sign that he was joking, but his eyes were no different than before. Unfortunately, before she could call the tom a liar publically, another cat's prying ears had heard.

**"Fighting a badger? Why wasn't I told? How come just you two are going? Nightpaw's only 8 moons, and you can't even fight!"**

Hissing in annoyance as Thornfoot butted in, the she-cat ignored him.

**"Oh, poor Thornfoot. Didn't you know? It's a **_**secret special**_** mission specifically assigned just to Ashwind and myself. Wouldn't want phleobians like you getting hurt!"**

Astounded by her apprentice's genius, the she-cat smirked at her denmate and then proceeded to trot off alongside Nightpaw in a dignified manner. As their paws settled down outside the camp, she craned her neck down to commend her apprentice.

**"Good job! I've never seen an expression like that on Thornfoot's face!"**

Purring proudly, the she-cat felt a flicker of unease as the tom looked up at her sideways like she was crazy.

**"What do you mean? I was serious. I'll tell you a little secret."**

Beckoning with his tail for his mentor to stop walking, the she-cat halted obediently, crouching so as to hear him better.

**"I found a giant den the size of three twoleg monsters out in the woods. That's what I was telling Sagepaw about. And it's still fresh! We can go and hunt down the badger now! I already told Darkkit and Icekit about it too, so they'll be helping us! They're already out there by now I think."**

The cheerful tom didn't catch onto the horrified look on his mentor's face. At a loss for words, she snapped for him to go back to camp and get some warriors to follow her before she ran off into the woods, searching hard for the kits' scents. She knew Nightpaw wasn't the smartest tom, but GOD, was he sent by the Dark Forest or something?

Fear welled in her chest as her lungs forced air in and out. Silver paws sent her flying through the undergrowth as her nose caught wind of the familiar smells, and then she could hear them mewling and squeaking excitedly.

_Please Starclan, don't let that badger come back._


	3. A Liar's Word

**Chapter 2**

_What's Ashwind getting so worked up about? It's just a badger. Besides, Darkkit and Icekit are great fighters. We were in the Nursery together and they both took down Sagepaw._

So why were his mentor's words making him run so hard? It was lucky that they had barely left camp, for the tom was already blundering up the rocky slope and into the dark chasm that smelled strongly of Thunderclan's leader.

"**Claystar! Ashwind needs help!" **The black tom called, folding his ears back at the sound of his own echo.

There was an almost immediate reaction from the shadows, and the apprentice had to press up against the side of the den wall to avoid collision.

"**Why? What's wrong?" **

The gray figure shook moss from its pelt, causing Nightpaw to hiss softly before he was hurrying to catch up with the tom who was already leaving the den. Dark paws struggling to keep pace with the agitated leader, the apprentice had to pretty much yank Claystar's head around.

"**There's a badger out in the woods, and she needs help fighting it."**

And though the tom was speaking the truth in a huffy voice, his leader cocked an eye at him and frowned skeptically.

"**I'm telling the truth! Icekit and Darkkit are there too." **Sputtered the smaller feline as his voice rose at the prospect that perhaps his leader didn't believe him.

Strangely to Nightpaw, the mentioning of the two kits seemed to peeve the tabby, and he was rounding on Nightpaw in less than a mouse-step.

"**I swear to Starclan Nightpaw, if you're messing with me-"**

"**No! I'm not! Honest! You can even ask Sagepaw!"**

Darker blue eyes narrowed dangerously, but when Claystar saw that the apprentice's eyes weren't lacking in sincerity, he nodded tersely and crooked his head to the side at where a dusky brown tom stood.

"**Berrythorn! Hurry and gather a small patrol. Ashwind's in trouble."**

Surprise flitted across the warrior's features, but he was soon nodding his head and hurrying towards two she-cats; one smoky gray while the other's fur burned numerous tortoiseshell hues. As soon as Berrythorn had rushed his limited knowledge into an explanation, he brought the two over to his leader expectantly.

"**Alright. Good. Now Nightpaw says Ashwind is out in the forest fighting a badger. I need you three to go out there and help her. Take Nightpaw to lead you the way." **The tall tom meowed sternly.

The brown warrior cast an uncertain glance at Nightpaw, but then decided against defying his leader's orders and hurried Nightpaw along. Only the tortoiseshell bothered to look back over her shoulder at where Claystar stood, head bowed as though he was deep in concentration. The she-cat blinked, a frown crossing her pretty face.

"**Nightpaw, you better not be lying or I'll have Ravenclaw make you clean the Elder's den for the next three moons!"**

Wincing as the she-cat hissed sharply in his ear, Nightpaw glared up at her, paws naturally finding their way through the undergrowth. Besides, he knew his mentor's smell like Sagepaw knew herbs; the path she'd taken was clear as the day.

"**Stop asking questions and just hurry up Leaftail! Mousedung, you warriors get worked up too easily. I think I'd rather be an elder than sleep in the same den as you guys."**

Though Nightpaw muttered the last part to himself, he knew the three had heard him, because Berrythorn started trotting faster and Leaftail shut her trap. Of course, Hazefur didn't say anything like usual. The gray she-cat was keeping to herself like usual.

A comfortable silence fell on the small patrol as they hastily made their way through the brush. The sound of pawsteps on the forest floor was just quiet enough to let birdsong creep below the treetops, and the cats actually seemed rather content with the gentle chorus that swept alongside them. Too bad they would probably be eating the opera's performers.

It was as Nightpaw was struggling with a rather thick bramble bush that Leaftail picked up a scent.

"**Hey, does anyone else smell Ashwind?" **The tawny warrior meowed.

Berrythorn pricked his ears, green eyes scanning the woods around.

"**No, not yet. But I think I hear something out there."**

"**Yeah, maybe it's me **_**trying **_**to get through here without you guys helping!"**

Slapping the hissing apprentice's mouth shut with his tail, Berrythorn narrowed his eyes, for now he smelt it too. The faintest scent of the silver she-cat was out there, along with something heavier. A bitter taste on his tongue that made him wrinkle his nose in distain and fear.

"**Well here's the good news. Nightpaw isn't a liar 100% of the time." **The brown warrior growled, unsheathing his claws as he stalked around the bramble thicket and followed his nose into the undergrowth. Hazefur obediently trotted after, green eyes unreadable as she tailed the tom. Meanwhile, Nightpaw had given up on the bush and was staring at where Berrythorn and Hazefur had headed off to.

"**Foxdung! The badger's den is this way!"**

Hissing in frustration, he glared over at where Leaftail still stood behind him. Narrowing his eyes into sharp, expectant slits, he ground out his words.

"**Well? Aren't you going to join them?"**

Blue eyes flickered before the she-cat smirked. Then she had turned around, and all that was left was the flick of her tailtip in the bushes as she disappeared after her denmates. Suppressing a growl of frustration, Nightpaw glared at the bramble bush blocking his path and then looked over at the still swaying fronds where the warriors had departed through. A frown crossed his young features, and soon he was sighing in exasperation.

_Fine. We'll look for Ashwind over there._

The nimble black bodice brushed through the ferns, and he was swallowed up in the tall forest grass as he chased after his clanmates' scents. It was a good thing Leaftail had seemed to step on every single piece of foliage she could find, for it made the job of tracking the felines much easier. Funny how she seemed to almost be helping him. Whether it was intentional or not though, Nightpaw didn't have the time to ponder. Ashwind could be in trouble, which meant so could his little brother and sister. Feeling the courage of a Lionclan warrior rise inside his chest, he hurried after with a confident stride. He could definitely smell Ashwind now, like Berrythorn had said. But why was she out here, away from the den? Did Icekit and Darkkit possibly not get the memo and head to the wrong spot? Cutting off his senses momentarily in order to concentrate on his own style of reasoning, the tom hardly noticed the grass ahead clear out into thick brown fur until he had walked straight into the senior warrior.

"**Auhg! Watch where you're going Berrythorn!"**

The black tom cat hissed, looking up to glare at the warrior. However, his irritation faded as he realized the tom's fur was on end, eyes narrowed in hostility as he faced an unseen foe. Rising on his hindlegs, Nightpaw caught sight of Hazefur and Leaftail in equally aggressive poses, and so he flanked Berrythorn, eyes falling curiously where the other three were looking. A torch lit his gut on fire when he saw the badger crouched, fangs glistening with blood as Ashwind lay limp in front of it; two shivering kits hiding behind her fur.


	4. A Thousand Predators

Very late chapter, I know.

Been quite busy with school

and unpacking.  
Anyway, there's gonna be a little treat after this Chapter. =3

As an apology for my inactivity.

**Chapter 3**

The air; calm. The grass; green. The story told to them by Nightpaw; true.

Glittering orbs of a gorgeous blue-indigo scanned the den walls, each spaced about 5 fox-lengths wide. Behind him,

a bubbly black tom kit ran from side to side, attempting to gain enough momentum to propel himself up the den face. The occasional cloud of dust and a thud summarized his success rate.

"Whoa! Icekit, loo at the clawmarks I left!"

Ooed the dark kit as he stared in awe at the long, broad scuffs left behind on the earth support.

Blinking from his thoughts, Icekit turned and padded over to his littermate. Letting his gaze trace one of the workings, the violet-eyed kit frowned.

"Mousebrain. You're too small to have made those."

With a soft rustle, the white tom rose on his hindlegs and pressed his black and gray forepaws to the ruts. His claws were mere pine needles compared

to the drags left behind. Beside Icekit, Darkkit grumbled under his breath and shouldered his brother aside.

"Let me try! You're probably just too puny or something."

Grunted the black kit as he repeated his littermate's action. Icekit hissed but said nothing. He and his brother were the same size. In fact, Darkkit was the one

who was a little smaller. Turning his head to look up the sloping den entrance, Icekit pawed his way up and plopped down at the mouth, paws rested carefully to avoid dirtying himself

too much.

"Do you really think a badger made this?"

The echo of his littermate's voice was enough for Icekit to flick one black ear, but he didn't bother looking over his shoulder.

"How should I know? I've never even seen a badger."

Even as Darkkit was making his way up to join Icekit, the two were oblivious to the approach of another creature.

"Didn't Gorsefur say that they're black and white?" The black kit inquired.

"What, you mean like Mooncloud?"

Referring to their harlequin mother, Icekit looked at his brother like he was a toad before sitting up right.

"No! Of course not! A badger is giant and bristly, with small, evil black eyes." Darkkit meowed.

Icekit tried picturing a badger based off of his brother's description, but all that came to him was an overgrown porcuipine

with black and white prickles. Neither tom noticed the figure creeping closer in the fronds as Icekit pondered what to expect from a badger. And Darkkit

was... Well... Darkkit was being himself.

"Aren't badgers dangerous?" The white kit stopped to ask after a while.

Turning to look at Icekit, the black tom smirked and puffed out his chest.

"Sure they are! But they're nothing a tom like me can't handle!"

Rolling his eyes, Icekit snorted and stood up.

"What? You dare doubt the strength and proesse of the great warrior Darkflame?"

'Darkflame' barely had time to finish when a blur of fur and paws had shot out into the clearing. Both kits squealed in shock and fear, cowering low to the ground.

"You'll be lucky if Claystar even makes you apprentices! What are you two doing out here? It's not safe for kits like you!"

The silver-furred newcomer yowled, paws spread to brace against the ground. Ashwind knew she'd startled the kits, but right now she was too angry

and relieved that they were okay to care. After she was met by a stunned silence, the warrior lost her patience and let out a sharp, terse growl.

"Well? Nothing to say for yourselves? Good, because you're coming back with me. We're going straight to camp, and maybe then you'll get your voices back

in time to explain yourselves to Claystar."

But the kits were no longer paying attention to Ashwind. Instead, their eyes widened in sheer terror and amazement as they gaped at the monster

behind the she-cat. Noticing their distraction, she glanced over her shoulder, but all Ashwind could manage was a startled meow of disbelief as the badger's heavy

paw smashed down on her back.

Darkkit was the first to shriek in blind terror, and the black tom was already turning tail and darting into the bushes. Icekit readied himself to chase after him,

when he felt the ground shake as the badger swung at him. The kit was saved by his own size and the badger's miscalcuation, but he knew the creature wouldn't miss next time.

The hammering in his heart was enough to have killed him on the spot.

"Ashwind! Hurry, you have to get up!"

The white tom wailed, placing his black and gray paws on his aunt's face in an effort to wake her. However, the she-cat would not rise; nor even stir.

Panic flashed through him, and while he wanted so badly to run, he knew he couldn't just leave Ashwind there. But what could he, a mere kit, possibly do to bring down a badger?

Suddenly, his games of being a mighty warrior alongside Darkkit seemed useless and foolish, and the tom could only crouch low to the ground and squeeze his eyes shut

in anticipation of the pain to come.

However, he was greeted by a furious hiss and a bellowing roar, and he peeked his eyes open to see that Ashwind had risen and was clawing viciously at the badger's face.

Thorn-sharp claws raked across the thick muzzle, leaving behind deep gouges in the speckled fur. Great long claws crashed down and cut deep into the she-cat's hindleg,

sending her staggering sideways, fangs bared and claws unsheathed. It took Icekit a moment to realize that she was hissing at him.

"Go! Find Darkkit and hide in a tree! I can take care of this flea-bag!"

But even so, the tom wasn't reassured by her courageous words. She was bleeding heavily, and even though he knew she was a warrior, there was no ignoring the

fear and doubt in her blue eyes. Icekit would not leave. He couldn't just let her get killed like this. Still, he was only holding her back. If only he could help some way...

The tom's eyes caught sight of where Darkkit had been playing earlier. The irresponsible tom had left chunks of dry earth and stones upturned, but they were light and rough.

Without thinking, the tom instinctively swatted a piece of grit in the badger's direction. It bounced harmlessly past the creature, but it did turn its great maw to see what

had passed over its peripheral vision. Recalling every time he'd ever tossed moss back and forth with his littermate, Icekit swiftly continued. Hurling chunk after chunk of stone

until his ankles were sore and his paw pads were throbbing, his work was finally rewarded when a piece of shale flew into the badger's eyes. With a low, gutteral cry, the

animal reeled backwards sharply and shook his head vigorously. Before the kit could let out a victorious yowl though, Ashwind's teeth were connecting with his scruff, and the

feline was dragging him away into the trees.

Ignoring his protests and struggling, Ashwind stopped only when his flailing paws struck her injured leg. With a hiss of pain, she dropped him and stumbled sideways.

"Fox-dung! Would you stop fighting me and listen for a second? I'm not going to be able to run. Go find your brother and get away before the badger finds me."

The silver warrior was meowing with solemn valiance. Helpless panic reflected in Icekit's eyes, but he'd calmed down slightly now that the badger wasn't aiming

for his throat.

"But what'll happen to you? You need to come hide with us!"

Shaking her head decidedly, Ashwind winced and froze, ears standing alert before she relaxed slightly. It was just a vole in the distance.

"No. It'll find me in seconds with this blood trail. I'm a warrior, Icekit. I can take care of myself. Now you go find your brother before it's too late."

_Too late for what?_

The tom couldn't help but think. But the she-cat's tone was firm, and Icekit didn't see the flash of remorse in her eyes. Maybe she really would be okay. But before

he had time to respond, the grass was swaying in the distance, and Ashwind was pulling herself upright, jaw clenched in preparation to meet the beast.

"Go. **NOW,** before we both get killed."

Growling, she shoved Icekit into the undergrowth and stared over her shoulder at where the great badger stood. Glittering coal met burning sapphire, and with a caterwaul,

the proud Thunderclanner lunged forward.

Icekit wanted to cry for his aunt not to sacrifice herself, but his throat had gone dry. It wasn't like he could preach for her not to give herself up. He was still a kit; he knew nothing of

the significance involved in life and death. Cats his age lived in the moment; there was no past or future. With a wrenching feeling in his gut, the young tom closed his eyes shut before

opening them and turning tail. He fled into the bushes without looking back, not sure of where exactly he was going. If he could find Darkkit's trail, he might be able to catch up with him.

At first, he thought it would be easy to find his brother. The tom always smelled funny from wandering into Jadewhisker's den, but Icekit had never actually tracked anything before. He

could no longer tell the difference between all the strange scents now that he bothered to take them all in. At least analyzing his surroundings kept his mind off of the cat who was protecting

them; the one that he'd left behind.

Folding his ears back partially in shame and to block out the sounds of the fierce battle, the tom pushed onward. His small paws covered a surprising amount

of distance, but it was mostly his adrenaline that sent him at such a steep pace. The tall grass was already thinning out into tendrils and ferns, and he could make out

the large oak up ahead. Too caught up in escape to realize the battle cries had died down, the tom headed straight for the trunk. Before he had even clambered up the

roots though, a whirl of fur had blocked him from the tree, and the tom let out a scream of horror as he recognized the silver pelt. The she-cat lay limply where she'd been hurled,

and her blue eyes were shut tight. Fear coursed through his veins, and the tom held back the urge to vomit from grief and dismay. Spinning around to face the badger,

he felt a mixture of rage and fear send a shiver through his pelt. Muzzle and paws stained red with the blood of Icekit's kin, the badger parted its jaws to reveal dripping canines the

size of Darkkit's paw. Thin, undeveloped claws slid out of their sheaths as the young cat tensed. If he died here, if he never got to be a warrior, then at least he would go to Starclan

and be able to see Ashwind there. But wait! Did they take cats like him there? After all, it was his fault that Ashwind wasn't moving anymore. Would Starclan reject him?

A new sort of terror clawed at his chest until he was running short of breath. But he was already too dizzy from fright to notice. His legs were cold and shaking, because this time

Ashwind wouldn't get up and protect him. He didn't have any choice but to fight or be crushed. He prayed aloud, violet eyes widening in sheer terror as the badger began lumbering towards him.

All at once, the tom screamed something incoherent. It might've been a 'sorry', or 'help!', or a string of curses that he had learned from Berrythorn and Rainclaw when the warriors had thought

he wasn't paying attention. His voice carried over the treetops and shattered in the air. Birds fled their perches in surprise before settling elsewhere at the realization that they were in no

real danger.

That was when someone dropped by Icekit's side, a pelt so familiar against his own that he instantly knew his brother had joined him. Relief washed over Icekit before it was replaced by

horror and disbelief. Now they were both going to die. Real smart Darkkit. And yet, his brother's presence calmed that desperate survival instinct within him. If he was going to die, at least he

would leave this life alongside the same cat he'd started it with. Icekit's piercing shriek mingled with his brother's petrified gaze as the badger lunged.

Icekit wasn't too sure what happened next. He'd squeezed his eyes shut before the impact sent his body careening to the side. At first, he barely registered the ground colliding with his

skull until the pain slowly settled in. It was excruciating, as though every bone in his body had shattered and splintered into his flesh. A gurgled cry of agony escaped his jaws

as he felt a strange taste in his mouth that reminded him of the prey he ate from the freshkill pile. The tom's body convulsed spasmically without him realizing it, and he whimpered

and groaned at the unbelievable fire that tore through him. His conscience slipped into the dark recesses of his mind; seeking that better place that agonized beings tend to seek as a last resort

escape from the pain. Bright lights went off in his head, and the ache disappeared as the shadows reached out to the tom, engulfing him in a sweet promise of peaceful eternity.

"Leaftail!"

The brown tom was yowling, but the tortoiseshell was already racing towards the kits. For all her speed though, she was not fast enough as the badger's claws collided into the small

white kit's side.

"**NO!**" She screeched desperately, kicking hard off the ground as she launched herself at the massive brute.

Rage flooded the she-cat's muscles with strength as she buried her claws deep into the coarse fur. Blue eyes burning like hell fire, she snarled and dug her fangs into the black and white

pelt.

"Darkkit! Are you alright?"

Nightpaw was charging over before Berrythorn could stop the apprentice. Icekit's littermate had been knocked over by the force, but the badger's claws had only struck Icekit. The black

tom was shaken, but unharmed aside from a steadily swelling bump on his shoulder. However, the kit paid no attention to Nightpaw. He was already up and stumbling over to where Icekit lay

deathly still, badger and Ashwind completely forgotten. Sky blue eyes were wide with confusion and a hesitant fear as the tom nudged his brother. Almost instantly, Darkkit recoiled at the sight

of the red liquid dripping from the corner of his brother's mouth.

"What's wrong with him? Why is he bleeding? Oh God, Icekit!"

Nightpaw felt himself sway on his paws at the helpless grief overwhelming the kit's voice, and he was forced to look away. There was still a fight going on.

"Auhg, fox-dung! Hazefur, flank it on the other side!"

The tom shouted, deciding it was time he took control of the situation. Though he visibly winced in horror as Icekit and Darkkit were flung to the ground, he knew the

kits would have to hold out until they'd gotten rid of the badger. Swiftly assessing the situation, Berrythorn darted around the badger's other side before swiftly biting into one hindleg.

The badger roared its defiance and kicked out, missing by a long-shot. Mentally, Berrythorn thanked Leaftail for attacking its face. Not bothering to see what Hazefur was up to, the tom

crouched, took a second to calculate, and then jumped.

With impressive precision, he landed squarely on the creature's back. However, in less than half a second he was scrambling to keep his balance as the badger reared back

and forth in an attempt to shake him off. Leaftail had fastened her jaws around the side of its face while dodging the badger's flailing claws. He couldn't see what Hazefur was doing,

but when the badger let out a sudden howl of pain and anger, he stopped worrying about her. Snagging his claws into the matted fur for a grip, he lay low against the

scraggly fur and bit down hard, searching for the sensitive tendon leading from the neck to the shoulder. The beast responded with a strangled gurgle as it dropped down,

legs going limp beneath it. Hurriedly and knowing his work was done, Berrythorn dismounted and scrambled out of the way as the badger rose again, staggering off

towards the Riverclan Border. Green eyes tense with excursion, the tom watched its bloodied back disappear in the distance before spinning around and racing over to the two fallen cats.

"Oh dear Starclan..."

Leaftail's voice drifted on the wind as the she-cat stared at the unmoving Ashwind and Icekit. Without meaning to, tears began rolling down her cheeks in fat, salty drops.

"Shhhh. Hazefur, keep Darkkit calm. Leaftail, grab Icekit. I'm going to try moving Ashwind."

The senior warrior turned his attention to Nightpaw as his gaze grew cold. With a shrinking feeling inside, the black tom looked down at the ground.

"And you... Go back to camp and warn Jadewhisker to prepare some herbs."

Gingerly, Nightpaw rose his head.

"Sh-Should I ask for something specific?"

He flinched at the icicles in Berrythorn's expression.

"Damn it Nightpaw, just go tell him to be ready."

With a swift nod, the apprentice darted off into the undergrowth, heart and conscience heavy as Berrythorn's cold-as-Leafbare words lingered in his heart and mind.

Dear Starclan, this was all his fault. He hadn't thought anything of telling his mother's second litter about the badger den. Though queens tended to have more than one set of kits,

those within the same litter tended to be more attached to one another. Still, he and Sagepaw were Darkkit and Icekit's older brothers. Distanced as they might be, they were kin.

It was his fault for endangering his own family. He couldn't imagine what it would ever be like to lose Sagepaw, and now Darkkit might have to find out all because he hadn't been

thinking straight. The black tom swallowed the dry lump in his throat as he raced through the woods, ignoring the harsh sting of briars and brambles that raked his pelt. He even willed

roots to twist and sprain his paws. Anything to make up for what he'd brought upon his clanmates. Paws heavy with shame, he ran harder until he could feel his eyes burning either from

the wind cold wind or the sadness and regret that was pooling up inside of him. The tom choked back a sob. How had things turned out like this? One stupid mistake, one sentence too much,

and now his aunt, mentor, and little brother might be dead.

The tom squeezed his eyes shut and bit back tears as he followed his nose back to camp. Before he knew it, he'd passed through the thorn-barrier and a startled Claystar.

"Nightpa-"

But the apprentice ignored his leader and headed straight for the Medicine Cat's Den.

"Jadewhisker! Sagepaw!"

The tom crashed straight into his smaller brother, who dropped his bundle of moss in surprise as he tumbled backwards. Swiftly letting up his younger counterpart, Nightpaw

rattled on desperately about how the badger had attacked. However, he was so out of breath and in such a desperate rush that it came out more like this: "Ashwind and Icekit... Spitting blood

on Berrythorn!... Giant claws... Leaftail carrying Darkpaw's calmness... BIG BIG AND BAD!"

Despite Nightpaw's gibrish, Sagepaw seemed to get the gist that something was wrong. The medicine cat apprentice narrowed his eyes.

"Slow down and take a deep breath. What happened, and who's spitting up blood?"

Nightpaw gulped and took a moment before launching into his summary. This time, he made sure to include the words 'Badger attack'. Immediately, Sagepaw's eyes widened

and the cat was spinning around on his hindlegs and slipping back into the Medicine Cat's Den.

"Jadewhisker! Ashwind, Icekit, and Darkkit got attacked by a badger! Do we have any cobwebs and marigold?"

Well, Sagepaw had said it pretty clearly for all of Nightpaw's pointless blabbering. Despite the lingering fear and shame he felt, Nightpaw couldn't help but get a warm flicker of pride in his

chest as he watched his brother work. Sagepaw seemed so confident and sure of himself despite being so small and having no idea how to fight. It almost seemed like he was the real Medicine

Cat here. But then the venerable Jadewhisker's voice could be heard, and Nightpaw was reminded that it took a lot more than knowledge and authority to be a medicine cat. For being

Thornpelt's older brother, Jadewhisker was pretty collected. Nightpaw often had trouble believing that they were kin, even if they weren't of the same litter. They shared the same parents, and

that was really all that mattered.

Waiting impatiently, Nightpaw needed the ground. He wanted two things to happen fast; Berrythorn, Hazefur, and Leaftail to get back, and for Sagepaw and Jadewhisker to quickly get

those magical plants ready. He let out a frustrated growl as he heard Sagepaw knock something over, but managed to keep his fur flat. Scratch that about Sagepaw being capable. Nightpaw'd

been so caught up in the brotherly moment that he'd completely forgotten that the smaller black apprentice was a complete klutz. For one so small, it was a wonder how Sagepaw managed to

walk into everything he saw. Well, more like **didn't see.**

With a sigh of relief as Sagepaw and Jadewhisker finally emerged with mouthfuls of herbs, Nightpaw let his nerves relax slightly. As if on cue, several startled gasps echoed from the

clearing, and the three turned to see the small patrol making their way into camp. Icekit was dangling limply from Leaftail's jaws, and Nightpaw felt a sickening tightness in his stomach.

The kit's right hindleg was twisted awkwardly, and blood was still dripping from his muzzle. Hazefur, for all her mysteriousness, had somehow managed to calm Darkkit down. The tom

was padding stoney-faced alongside her, and he didn't even raise his head once to seek the reassurance of a more experienced cat. A shriek of horror filled the air, and Nightpaw felt his heart

cry out as Mooncloud raced over at the sight of her mangled kits; one solemn and bruised, the other stiller than a stagnant puddle after the New-leaf storms.

"**ICEKIT! WHAT HAPPENED?"**

Forcing himself to block out his mother's despairing wails, Nightpaw turned and forged his way past the growing crowd. He knew he shouldn't run, but it was all he could do. He

certainly couldn't continue watching all this chaos while knowing he was the source of it. Shouldering by unnoticed, he picked up speed as he raced out of camp. He wasn't sure where

he would go, or for how long, but all he knew was that he couldn't be there right now. He'd go somewhere and take a breather. Eventually, he'd have to go back and face punishment.

Maybe he'd even be kicked out of Thunderclan. At least he wouldn't have to face any of them again. Especially Mooncloud. What would his mother think after hearing what had happened?

The tom tried to erase these tantalizing thoughts as he headed deep into the woods for the lakeside. At least there, the only ones who could look and judge him would be his own reflection

in the water.

Well, guess you'll have to wait till Chapter 4.. No, Chapter 5, to find out

whether Icekit and Ashwind live or not. =3

Or if one of them dies and one of them lives.

Hehe, ^^

And I say Chapter 5 and not Chapter 4,

because Chapter 4's gonna be a special 'Back to School' gift. ;]

Review Please, and I'll love you for eternity!

Lol, jk. Just having someone enjoy this stuff is satisfying enough to me =)


	5. SC Special Burn Out

Well, as promised, here you go. ;]

I actually wrote this a while ago during June,

but only got the chance to post it up now.

PLUS, I did promise something special.

Not that this is worthy of being called 'special'. D'x

-cries at own talentlessness-

ANYWAY,

little Shadowclan shorty, and I'll even give the clan list at the beginning. ;]

...

**Shadowclan Tales: 01- Burn Out**

Leader

Whitestar- snowy tom with hazel eyes

Deputy

Maplerain- sandy tabby she-cat

_Daisypaw- golden-furred she-cat with blue eyes_

Medicine Cat

Brushtail- black and white tom with blue eyes

Warriors

Boneclaw- dark gray tom

Charcoaldust- silver tabby with green eyes

_Crimsonpaw- orange tabby tom with gray eyes_

Cloudbreak- light-footed tabby tom with green eyes

Lilacfrost- silver and white she-cat

Queens

Redfeather- dark russet she-cat with green eyes

[Stonekit, Mosskit, Birdkit]

Elders

Briarclaw- small ginger tom

Icewreath- silver tabby tom with green eyes

...

Surrounded by a heap of indistinguishable objects, the tom thought up one more nickname to pin the healer with.

_ What a packrat._

The small white cat could barely cross through the den without slipping on a leaf or stubbing his paw on some object smelling suspiciously of twolegs. Whitestar only accepted the medicine cat's strange obsession because of how efficiently he worked. There was no denying the healer was the best there was at his job. However, that didn't mean the Shadowclanner didn't try staying as safe and healthy as possible to avoid any reason for a visit to the cluttered nest.

Clearing his throat, the leader waited for the sound of shuffling paws to announce the medicine cat's presence. Instead, he was startled by the movement of plants to his right.

"Whitestar? What do you want?" Meowed a harlequin tom distastefully.

Whitestar resisted the urge to frown. He never could figure out why the tom treated him like a foul-smelling piece of prey. Did Brushtail think he had germs or something?

Blinking out of his thoughts long enough to speak, the bright-fured feline backed up to give Brushtail enough room. Something crashed down behind him, and Whitestar jolted in surprise. He'd forgotten that blind movements were certain death in Brushtail's den.

"Well, Boneclaw found some funny plants in the forest and-"

A flying hunk of debris connected with the tom's forehead with a cringe-worthy **CRACK** that cut him off.

"What did they look like?" The patched feline inquired, shaking the remaining trinkets from his pelt.

Though Whitestar was tempted to flay the cat alive, he reminded himself of what his mission was, and promptly decided to ignore his throbbing cranium.

"Uh, plant-like?"

"Well obviously." Rolling his eyes, the healer picked his way effortlessly across the den floor. It almost made Whitestar envy the tom's flawless grace. That is, until he remembered that Brushtail slept in all this carrion.

"I'm not really sure... I think he said it was tall with lots of hairy leaves."

Dazzling blue eyes were narrowed with doubt, but Whitestar went on despite the medicine cat's intimidating gaze.

"Not hairy. More like, bristly. Apparently it was everywhere, and it looked like large clumps of grass."

There was a snort of either amusement or scorn; the small feline wasn't sure.

"Grass? I think this 'mysterious plant' is also known as a _weed. _Found commonly in all parts of the woods, fields, riversides... THE WHOLE WORLD for all I know. Your warriors grow stupider by the day, Whitestar." The black and white tom scoffed before looking up as his leader let out a warning growl.

"So then why don't you train someone yourself if Shadowclan's mentors are so poor?"

A clear change in Whitestar's mood had occurred, and Brushtail swept his tail calmly across the den floor. However, when he spoke, there was a sharp edge to his voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Shuffling his paws now that he had the Medicine Cat's attention, Whitestar straightened.

"I'm just saying that it wouldn't hurt for you to have someone around to help... Clear up this 'collection' of yours."

Though clearly Whitestar meant no offense whatsoever, the tom opposite him felt otherwise. Almost instantly, the young medicine cat was bristling.

"Are you implying that I can't handle this position?"

Tension rose like smoke in the air. Sighing in exasperation, the small leader plopped down on his hindquarters.

"No, see, now you're turning this around. I just think you should take it in your best interests to find yourself an apprentice." Meowed the slighter tom.

For once, there was a heavy silence that merely hung. Yet rather than bringing about peace, it seemed to make the fur along Brushtail's spine flare even higher.

"_No thanks, _Whitestar. In case you didn't notice, not many Shadowclan apprentices live long enough to become warriors. I doubt learning about _weeds _would improve their chances of survival."

The medicine cat ground out his words meaningfully, fully aware of the effect they had on the white feline. Each syllable drove a sharp thorn into Whitestar's heart, and no amount of thyme or poppy seeeds could numb that grievance. The black and white tom's eyes hardened, and he lifted his head back slightly to scrutinize the silent tom. Finally, when his leader had been without words for long enough, Brushtail had his turn again.

"You think no cat notices? Basilpaw is _dead _Whitestar. You saw him get run over; that whole patrol did. He's in Starclan now, and no amount of sidetracking yourself with other people's business is going to change that."

And even though the tom knew that Brushtail was telling the truth, all he could remember was how he had been the one who'd told Basilpaw to never lose track of prey. Not a day later, the tom had been killed chasing a vole over the Thunderpath. The white tom muttered something incoherent, and Brushtail was forced to lean forward.

"What?"

When Whitestar mumbled again, the medicine cat lost his patience.

"For Starclan's sake Whitestar, would you stop talking to your fleas?"

Slowly, hazel eyes rose from the ground and locked onto the black and white feline.

"You want me to talk to you? Do you want me to talk to you honestly, Brushtail? Well the truth is, no one outside in that camp trusts you! You couldn't save their last deputy, and you couldn't bring back Basilpaw either! You were born a loner, and despite the fact that Shadowclan took you in when you were only 4 damn moons old, you scorn and mock our ways! You don't even try to hold back from insulting us and our customs! If you don't find an apprentice soon, cats are going to start doubting your dedication to the ways of a medicine cat and warrior! It's your _duty _to accept Shadowclan's beliefs! If you can't do that, I don't think Starclan or myself can let you stay here."

The undersized tom's voice died down to a whisper as moons of mourning mingled with the pressure of leading his clan weighed heavily upon his tired young frame.

"If you want to find your path here, you'll need to show the clan that adversity is your strength." The tom was calmed now, and his voice was soothing, like a father coaxing his kit out of the dark. Brushtail stiffened and eyed Whitestar wearily before slowly settling to the ground; bellyfur brushing the cramped floor.

"You can't just ask me to change who I am. Bottling things up has never worked out for me."

A sigh escaped Brushtail's maw as bue eyes clouded with an emotion that even the insightful Whitestar could not read.

"That doesn't mean you should unleash it all on your clanmates." The white tom reasoned pointedly.

Looking up, Brushtail grimaced and flicked his tail at his leader.

"As if. I hardly care about what they think of me. If they're too weak to suck it up, then _they're _the ones who shouldn't be here."

Exasperated with Brushtail's inconsiderate nature and straight-forwardness, the snowy feline rose his voice as he took a threatening step closer to the medicine cat.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about! You need to be more tolerant of others! I already let you harbor all this useless junk in **MY **camp!"

Already, the white tom was sucking back his last comment with an "Oops" as he realized what he'd just said. And that was when Brushtail's jaw dropped and he was left gawking at Whitestar in the all too noticeable silence that followed. For a moment, the leader felt bad about picking on the healer's habit, but he wasn't about to back down. So instead, Whitestar rose his head a little higher and inflated his chest to maximum proportions. It was as he was beginning to wonder if Brushtail had frozen dead on the spot that the medicine cat was suddenly glowering at him.

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to storm out dejectedly? Because this is **MY **den. You'd have to leave too eventually. And wouldn't that be so perfectly redundant."

At this, Whitestar frowned before huffing and turning to face his back at Brushtail.

"Fine. But this is **MY **camp that your den is in. And Brushtail, please think about what I said. You're too skilled a medicine cat for our clan to lose you over a pointless falling out."

And with that, the white tom left to go bring some prey to his mate Redfeather. Brushtail was left staring at the feline's back, fur still on end.

Was that what Whitestar thought? That they'd had a falling out? So now their relationship was over, and yet he was still expected to act normally? The tom wanted to choke in disgust. He knew he shouldn't care and was supposed to shrug it off like usual, but for some reason he felt like he'd just been dumped, and after the initial waves of anger had passed, his blue eyes fell to the floor. Glancing at the clutter that had gathered up over the moons and overflowed the den, the tom felt a twitch in his veins as he realized all this space was where herbs should have been. Circles and stones and strange gadgets littered the way instead.

_A medicine cat's den should smell of catmint and juniper. This place is just another Carrion Dump._

Sighing, Brushtail began the painfully slow process of migrating his treasures into one corner; which was difficult because half the stuff was bigger than himself, and the den walls were scarcely visible beneath the layers of trinkets. As the tom set about his task, his thoughts went over to Redfeather's kits. They would be apprentices soon, and he'd been chasing Stonekit out of his den almost every other day. Perhaps Whitestar was right. A helping paw couldn't hurt. But he wouldn't pick an apprentice just for the reasons Whitestar had mentioned. The last thing he wanted was to have all that drama of his apprentice being moody after learning he'd only been chosen to secure Brushtail's position as Medicine Cat. Besides, using his potential apprentice for popularity would be like leading your kin across the Thunderpath to help you gather some prey. Brushtail would first prove to Whitestar that he himself was a leader, and not a follower.

...

Aw,

I actually think Brushtail and Whitestar would be cute together,

buuuuuut, for obvious reasons, that probably won't happen. D=

Anyway, there'll be more semi-pointless crap posts like this in the future,

though the next one will probably be much less serious.

I do love humor after all ^^

Anyway, Review and Enjoy my lovely minions!


	6. I Never Understood You

Chapter 5 already! =O

I'm on a free time streak, eh?

Anyway, I'm relle happy I was able to write this up in my spare time today =3

Guess my teachers are being especially nice and lightening our homework load this week.

And Hey! Tomorrow's Friday =D

That means I might put in another SPECIAL chapter...

Debating between which clan it should be in. =/ Hmmm..

If you guys have any preferences, feel free to let me know.

**Chapter 5**

The tom stirred, unable to fall asleep. One minute he felt too cold beneath the night air, the next he was struggling out of the stuffy atmosphere. Usually it was just himself and his mentor, but now two others occupied the den. Finally, the apprentice gave up on falling asleep and raised his tired eyes. Blinking back the sting of fresh air, he waited until he'd adjusted before carefully rising so as not to awaken his denmates. Ashwind's steady breathing reassured him, and the tom smiled. The she-cat hadn't moved an inch since the badger attack two nights before, but she had definitely been getting better. Jadewhisker had even claimed that the she-cat had opened one eye that morning before falling back asleep.

Sagepaw smiled to himself before carefully picking his way around his heavily snoring mentor. He'd thought it impossible for a cat to make so much noise, but then again, there'd been a lot of strange things happening lately. Unfortunately, Jaywhisker's night noises were consistent.

A soft breeze ruffled the tom's dark fur as he slipped out of the Medicine Cat's den. The night air was cold against his nose, and the Newleaf scents wrapped around him. Glancing across the clearing, his gaze searched amidst the fallen tree and over to where the branches sheltered the Nursery. He'd heard the tale of the night the massive trunk had slid down into the hollow, and yet somehow it had turned into a blessing for the future. However, the tom was soon reminded of Icekit. The little tom had barely stirred the last few days, and he knew he wasn't alone in his worries for the kit. There was no telling how much longer the tom would last without food to help recover his strength.

**"Couldn't sleep?"**

A light-hearted voice called, and the apprentice jumped in surprise before turning slowly.

Sagepaw's eyes rested on a splotch of golden fur, and he relaxed. Thornfoot wasn't his favorite cat due to all his strife and arrogance, but rather one of Sagepaw's own clanmates than some random rouge. Smiling, the apprentice watched the warrior trot over from his guard post. A twinge of sympathy flashed through the smaller cat when he realized that Thornfoot had also been on guard the night before, and had already gone off on two patrols this day. Claystar and Ravenwing were so busy making up for Ashwind's slack and monitoring the badger's whereabouts that they'd probably forgotten who they'd double-shifted.

**"Yeah. Jaywhisker's not exactly a light sleeper." **The black tom meowed.

With a snort of amusement, Thornfoot sat down beside the apprentice. Sagepaw knew that his mother's mate Rainclaw had lost Leaftail to Thornfoot, but what tom in Thunderclan _hadn't _lost a mate to the cocky tom's wooing? Sagepaw wouldn't be surprised if half the clan wanted nothing to do with the tom. After all, wasn't that why Ashwind was always so bitter towards the golden warrior?

Flicking one ear as he once more felt grateful for not having to worry about things like relationships, the young cat tilted his head curiously when Thornfoot looked back at the Medicine Cat den.

**"So, I know Claystar didn't want to make it seem like a big thing, but what really happened out there?"**

Sagepaw furrowed his brow in confusion at Thornfoot's choice of words before realizing that the tom was referring to the badger attack. Shifting, he looked up at the other cat.

**"How should I know? I'm a Medicine Cat Apprentice, remember?"**

Though Sagepaw's voice was reasoned out, there was a slight hint of annoyance underneath. It was annoying when cat's constantly bugged him for the news. What was he supposed to know? His responsibilities were based on remembering herb names and treatments, not what his clanmates were busy doing. Unlike Dewpaw and Thornfoot, he wasn't a gossip.

**"But Nightpaw's your brother, and he was the one who started it all." **The warrior pointed out rather crudely.

Almost instantly, Sagepaw's grip on the campground tightened as he resisted the urge to unsheathe his claws. Sure, Nightpaw had been stupid and made a mistake, but he was sick and tired of hearing everyone blame his littermate. Every apprentice did something mouse-brained. Nightpaw's acts had just had a worse outcome, but it wasn't like he'd known any better. Anyway, what had happened to everyone being accepting of Nightpaw? The whole clan knew that Nightpaw was only so weird because Mooncloud had dropped him on his head when he was a newborn. Sagepaw had his suspicions for why his brother seemed… Well, different.

**"Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not like he meant to."**

Sagepaw could not resist the urge to growl, blue eyes darkening slightly. However, Thornfoot didn't seem to notice his agitation. Instead, the stubborn golden tom pushed on.

**"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, do you at least have some details? All I heard was that he told Icekit and Darkkit to go hunt for a badger or something."**

Blue eyes narrowed as the Medicine Cat Apprentice silently cursed at whoever had spread such a one-sided rumor.

**"No, **_**actually. **_**That's **_**not **_**what happened. Nightpaw found a badger's den out in the woods, and he mentioned it to Icekit and Darkkit."**

**"Same difference."**

But Sagepaw was ignoring Thornfoot's uncaring tone. The tom could believe whatever he wanted, but Sagepaw wasn't going to stop until the truth had been heard. The last thing he wanted was for all of Thunderclan to believe that Nightpaw was totally incompetent, or worse; for Nightpaw to hear them.

**"So they went out searching for it, and Ashwind chased after them. Nightpaw, Berrythorn, Leaftail, and Hazefur went to rescue them, but Ashwind was already out when they got there."**

Sagepaw's voice drifted, and his gaze fell to the ground. Now when he said it aloud, it really did sound like it was all Nightpaw's fault.

**"And then Icekit and Darkkit got hit, and Icekit went down."**

Thornfoot's words sent icicles clinging to Sagepaw' pelt. Nodding in confirmation, the apprentice thanked Starclan that the warrior hadn't mentioned Nightpaw any more.

**"So how is Darkkit anyway? He must be pretty shaken up."**

Confusion bubbled in Sagepaw as he looked back up sharply. He hadn't known Thornfoot to be the caring type. Usually the egotistical tom was too caught up boasting about his 'matchless talents' to pay attention to anyone else's problems. Apparently though, even he had a heart. The black apprentice couldn't help but smile in warm amusement.

**"Yes, but after Mooncloud settled down, she managed to get Darkkit to calm. We're trying to keep most of the details… Well, you know… **_**Confidential.**_**"**

Sagepaw replied, shrugging.

When Thornfoot slowly nodded his head, Sagepaw wasn't too sure the tom quite understood. Then again, he wasn't really surprised. Thornfoot was a bit slow, though the apprentice would never admit to thinking so. Not to Thornfoot, anyway.

**"But Ashwind's getting better. She opened her eyes earlier today."**

The tom meowed, brightening at the subject of his aunt. Secretly, he was wondering how the tabby would react. After all, things were rough between the two since Leaftail had left Rainclaw for the golden warrior. To his disappointment, the tom merely dipped his head before changing the subject.

**"Why does Icekit's condition have to be **_**confidential?**_** He's alright, isn't he?"**

Sagepaw frowned and shuffled his paws uncomfortably. Thornfoot's expression was so expectant, like he believed Sagepaw, a mere apprentice, could solve all the problems of the world. Finally, when Thornfoot seemed beyond the point of impatience, it was all the dark apprentice could do but shrug.

**"Well… Sort of."**

Thornfoot narrowed his eyes, clearly unsatisfied with that answer.

**"Sort of? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"**

Though Sagepaw wasn't pleased with the tom's language, he decided not to comment. Instead, he made his growing irritation clear by folding one ear back against his head.

**"He got attacked by a badger Thornfoot, and his skull was bruised. He's only a kit."**

**"Aren't you a Medicine Cat? Do something to help him for Starclan's sake!" **Thornfoot hissed, almost as though he was ashamed of Sagepaw's lack of miracle-healing abilities.

With an angry growl, the apprentice stood abruptly, blue eyes burning.

**"Actually, no! I'm not! I'm an apprentice, and there's only so much Jadewhisker and I can do! We're not magical you know, and the forest isn't just blooming with spontaneous-healing plants!"**

Despite the frustration at feeling unfairly judged, Sagepaw understood why Thornfoot was acting this way. He was surprisingly good friends with Mooncloud despite their opposite natures. The young warrior was probably just showing innocent concern for his friend's kits. In the back of his mind, Sagepaw felt the familiar resentment of not being the favorite kit. For some reason, Mooncloud always seemed to shy away from the sight of her eldest litter, as though they brought up some bad memory within her. Nightpaw didn't notice or care, while Sagepaw had tried ignoring it. Right now though, Thornfoot was making it painfully obvious that even he felt more concern for the two youngest.

**"I knew it, Medicine Cat's are just useless." **Thornfoot scoffed, and at this, Sagepaw's pelt bristled and his other ear pulled back.

**"Then let's see **_**you **_**save a kit whose head is broken, ribs are smashed, and is barely breathing! You think I don't care about the fact that he's my brother? I'm doing everything damn possible just to keep him alive!" **The tom snarled, seething as his breath began to run short.

Thornfoot's eyes widened in surprise, and he stared in stunned amazement at all the emotion flowing from the small tom.

**"You think I **_**want **_**to see Mooncloud upset? You don't have to worry about letting her down… Even **_**she **_**blames Nightpaw, and he's her own kit. If Icekit dies…"**

The anger in the apprentice's voice died down to a quiet pleading tone. It was all too obvious how things would turn out. There was no way Icekit's tiny form could survive the badger's blow, and neither would Nightpaw and Sagepaw's relationship with their mother. They might as well have severed their ties the minute Nightpaw opened his big mouth.

Gritting his teeth, the dark tom felt a shudder pass through him. He'd almost forgotten where he was, and who he was talking to. He shouldn't have said that to Thornfoot of all cats. The tom had the largest muzzle of all, not to mention that, despite being close with Mooncloud, he felt no connection to Sagepaw and Nightpaw. The young cat tensed in preparation for some sort of harsh retort or taunt.

**"… If you were her, and it were **_**your **_**kit on the line, you might understand her…"**

Though Sagepaw had calmed down enough to breath regularly, he couldn't help but feel how unfair this whole situation was. He was Mooncloud's kit too. He and Nightpaw were on the line too!

**"No, the one who doesn't understand is **_**you.**_** You're not her son, and you aren't the one with pressure on your shoulders."**

The resent in Sagepaw's voice was evident as he glanced off to the side, too uncomfortable about discussing this with Thornfoot to look the older tom in the eye. For once, the golden warrior seemed to realize how awkward this was for the usually soft-spoken apprentice, and almost instantly, he snapped his own snide remark back in a rare act of consideration. Once again he'd forgotten that Sagepaw wasn't responsible for this situation. Narrowing his light blue eyes, the warrior switched the blame back to Nightpaw.

**"I know, I know… Mooncloud's my friend, Sagepaw. And she's your mother, too. You think I'm not aware of that? Feeling responsible for your littermate's life is a lot to take care of. Maybe even more difficult than knowing there's nothing you can do to save them." **The warrior's voice had grown thoughtful, and a distant look crossed his expression. He was remembering when his brother had died in battle. He'd had to stand there, helpless to save him. But at least he hadn't been expected to do anything. If Icekit died, no matter what other cats thought, Sagepaw would always blame himself.

The tabby swallowed.

**"You're… You know, better than a lot of cats. With medicine and stuff… You shouldn't have to deal with something of this proportion at your age. And, um…"**

Fox-dung. Thornfoot never had been very good with this whole comforting idea.

But before the warrior had to continue with his unstable heart-to-heart, Sagepaw was looking back up at him, blue eyes clear of their former anger. The warrior was actually taken aback by how clear they now seemed.

**"You're really bad at this kind of stuff." **He stated flatly, causing Thornfoot to gawk at the attack on his pride.

The warrior half-expected Sagepaw to launch into another flurry of passion, but instead, the little feline was smiling, and his stance seemed more relaxed. At least his ears had gone back to resting atop his head, and his claws were tucked away safely beneath his soft black paws.

**"Mooncloud… I can understand how she feels, and how other's must feel too. No one like's to see a companion in turmoil, or thrown for a loop. It's hard seeing someone lose control when their grip slips. What ever happens to Icekit…" **The apprentice lowered his gaze for a moment and swallowed before blinking determinedly and looking back up.

**"I take full responsibility. He's my brother, after all."**

Thornfoot wasn't sure what to say. He'd always thought Sagepaw was the quiet one; one of the many labels he tagged cats with. There was Nightpaw, the annoying one, and Claystar- the boss. Ashwind was the snob, Berrythorn the plain one, and Hazefur, the weirdo. He hadn't expected anyone to have another side though, and Sagepaw's words surprised him. Not only the way the tom had been keeping up a full-on conversation, but how he almost seemed like he was trying to suck up his own situation and put on a brave front.

At that moment, something inside the warrior softened, and he smiled brilliantly. He seemed to shine more against the night sky, and Sagepaw stared for a long moment before blinking and gaping.

**"Great Starclan!"**

Confused at the tom's sudden surprise and outburst, Thornfoot whirled around, expecting to see a giant animal charging towards them. Instead, he was greeted by a purple-violet hued sky. Even he had to drop his jaw in awe.

**"Wow, it's beautiful!"**

The warrior meowed, eyes wide as he stared at the swirling hues. However, Sagepaw startled him once more by letting out a wail of dismay.

**"It's dawn already, and I didn't even get a wink of sleep! And I'm supposed to go to herb gathering later! Auhgg, this is all your fault Thornfoot!"**

The warrior's eyes widened and he let out a hiss of indignation.

**"**_**My fault?**_** You're the one who was complaining about not being able to sleep! Don't push this on me, brat!"**

But Sagepaw was already rushing back to the Medicine Cat's den, tail fluffed up in lingering disbelief. The apprentice had only intended to go out for a drink of fresh air. And now his whole night had gone by! Uhg, stupid Thornfoot!

As the warrior watched the apprentice vanish back into the den, he felt the urge to chase after him and settle the score, but he resisted and sighed, looking back up at the sky instead. Sure, he felt bad for Sagepaw, but really, he didn't care that it was morning. After all, that meant he'd get to sleep once everyone woke up and there was no longer a need for a guard. He smiled to himself as he remembered the apprentice's shocked expression. Without realizing it, he was laughing to himself. If anyone else was around, they might've thought the tom had a screw loose.

Finally quieting himself, Thornfoot glanced at the sky once more before he spotted Ravenwing's dark coat emerging from the warrior's den. He grinned to himself and strutted over. When the she-cat cast him a tired, confused look, he flashed a toothy grin.

**"I did my duty without any hinderances, if that's what you're wondering."**

He meowed, but the she-cat chose not to acknowledge him as she trudged unenthusiastically towards the Fresh-kill Pile. The warrior didn't let his deputy's lack of interest bring him down though. He had figured something out. Something he hadn't known before about a certain small apprentice with clear blue eyes and a lot more on his mind than he let out. And now Thornfoot had a whole morning of rest ahead of him. Things couldn't get much better than this.

With those final thoughts, the golden warrior brushed past a rising Berrythorn and quickly found himself a clear nest. Nestling down, he buried his face in the soft moss and sighed in content. He'd always thought his initial judgments were flawless, yet he'd been proved wrong. And, arrogant as he was, he actually found himself rather enjoying the challenge. The tom drifted off with a crooked smile on his muzzle.

Meanwhile, a certain exhausted Medicine Cat apprentice spent the rest of the morning stumbling after Jadewhisker, who was unsympathetic after hearing how Sagepaw hadn't gotten any sleep due to the tom's snoring. In fact, the Medicine Cat must've insisted several times that he was a completely peaceful sleeper, and that Sagepaw must've imagined it. And so the black tom went about on half-asleep paws in and out of camp while his fellow night-walker slept peacefully in a cool bundle of moss.

Funny how things turned out.

...

In case no one picked up on this yet,

I've decided that this series probably will have cats of different sexuality,

just because I eventually realized this chapter almost sounds suggestive. =O

Anyway, I will just say one thing.

The POV (Point of Views) in Thunderclan will be from

Nightpaw, Ashwind, Icekit, Sagepaw, Thornfoot, and Dewpaw.

So far in Shadowclan,

there's just Whitestar and Brushtail.

Windclan, Riverclan, and the Rouges are yet to come ;]

Though of course Castor and Flux have already had their time to shine~


End file.
